Beginnings
by SakuraWillow
Summary: Catherine finds love in someone who has been there all along M for later chapters
1. Chapter 1

Catherine pulled up to the MGM and parked. Grabbing her kit she headed inside, past the crowds and slot machines to the ballroom. Detective Vartann was there waiting for her, guarding the body that the coroner had yet to release.

"Catherine" he smiled "I wasn't expecting to see the Queen bee out here"

She blushed "Yeah, well it's a busy night, my team is all out, on solos and with Sara off in Paris…things are a bit tight." She smiled

The detective smiled "Well I'm glad I got you. The vic is Melinda Feari. Cocktail waitress. Seems pretty cut and dry"

Catherine looked around, murder weapon still in the vic, the man in custody with Melinda's blood all over him. All she had to do was take some photos, some swabs and write her report.

"Your right, he confess?"

"Pretty much" Vartann smiled "Hey, uh, you wanna go for breakfast, after shift?"

Catherine looked at him, first in surprise, then a smirk playing at the corner of her lips. She walked over to him, getting close "Detective, are you asking me out?" she asked in a flirty whisper.

He chuckled and blushed "Yeah, I am"

She grinned like the Cheshire cat "I'd love too"

Vartann looked at her in surprise "Really?"

She giggled and picked up her camera "Pick me up at 7?" she asked with a wink

"Yes Ma'am"


	2. Chapter 2

At 7am sharp Tony Vartann walked into the lab and headed towards Catherine's office. Under his jacket he held a single red rose. He softly knocked and waited for her to answer. She opened the door a second later, a fresh coat of lipstick on her lips and a smile gracing her beautiful face.

"Hey there handsome" she smiled leaning against her door frame.

"Hi beautiful" he smiled, producing the red rose. Catherine smiled and took it, giving it a sniff before looking up at him.

"So where you gonna take me?" She asked batting her eyelashes.

"Well, I was thinking one of the nicest places in Vegas, but then I remembered we are public servants" he chuckled

She smiled and slapped his shoulder, laughing.

"No, Im kidding, I was actually thinking Medici at the Ritz"

Catherine looked at him, impressed "Wow, sure you can afford that on your public servant salary?" she teased

"I've been saving up" he winked and offered her his arm "Shall we?"

She smiled and took his arm. She told him 7 because she knew her team would be long gone and in bed by then, so there would be no rumors about her and Tony.

They arrived at the Ritz and Tony valet the car. "Will you wait for me in the lobby? I'll be right back."

"No problem" she smiled walking into the elegant lobby. She was glad she was still in her business attire. To be honest, she wasn't quite comfortable in these sort of places. It really wasn't her. She was a go out to a diner after work kind of girl, this was a bit too fancy for her.

She sat down on one of the couches and crossed her legs. Pulling out her iPhone she sent a text to Lindsey letting her know she was out to breakfast and to get her butt to school. She saw a man stand in front of her and she put away her phone before looking up smiling "I was just texting Lindsey-oh, I'm sorry, I thought you were my date"

The man smiled at her "I'd like to be"

Catherine suddenly felt very creped out. The way the man was looking at her like a piece of meat it was really making her uncomfortable. "Well, thank you, but I'm taken" she said gathering her stuff and standing up.

Tony was coming around the corner then and walked over. "Babe? Everything ok?" he asked slipping his arm around her waist protectively

She nodded and smiled "Fine, but I am hungry, let's go eat"

Tony led her to the restaurant, the man watching after them. Catherine shivered slightly "God that man was…just…ugh" Tony looked behind them, looking at the man who was watching them. "Relax Catherine, I'm not gonna let anything happen to you."

Once they were out of sight the man heard something coming from the couch. He looked and saw Catherine's phone, ringing from a new text. He picked it up and slipped it into his pocket, walking out of the hotel.


	3. Chapter 3

Sitting down for breakfast, Catherine smiled at Tony. "Thanks for saving me back there. I just didn't like the way that creep was looking at me."

Tony reached over and took her hand. "Don't worry, as long as your with me, I'm not gonna let anyone hurt you"

Catherine looked down at their joined hands, his thumb brushing the area where her thumb met her hand. She felt a certain electricity in his touch. She smiled and let him hold her hand. "So, Tony, why now? I mean we have been working together for years."

He laughed "I came to my senses"

She smiled and was about to say something when the waiter came over.

After they finished eating he took her hand once more "I enjoyed this Cath"

"Me too" She smiled "I was hoping it wasn't over yet though"

Tony smiled "Well there is a room reserved for us…I didn't want to seem too forward but…"he smiled producing a keycard from his jacket.

Catherine giggled "Let's go"

The pair walked out of the restaurant and through the lobby. Tony stopped her at the large fountain, gently tucking her hair behind her ear. "Can I kiss you?" he asked

Catherine chuckled, nodding "You don't have to ask"

Tony smiled and leaned in, his lips touched hers and her knees became weak. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself closer as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

They broke apart, breathless. She smiled looking into his eyes. "Wow"

He chuckled "You can say that again" he gave her one more peck before taking her hand and leading her to the elevator.

Stepping inside he pushed the button for their floor and wrapped his arms around her from behind, kissing her neck. She giggled and leaned back against him. "I better call home, tell them I might not be there for a bit" she smiled, opening her purse. She dug through it for a second before starting to panic.

"My phone…it's gone"

He stopped kissing her and looked at her "What? Are you sure?"

She nodded, the elevator stopped and she stepped out. She sat on the couch in the foyer and dumped out her purse. "It's gone…I just had it downstairs when I was waiting for you" she looked up at him

"Well then it might have fell into the couch. Come on, don't panic" he smiled helping her get her purse back in order.

They went back down stairs and Catherine all but ran over to where she was sitting. She dug through the couch and sighed "It's not here, it's gone"

Tony walked over to the front desk "Hi, was a cell phone turned in within the past hour?" he asked the clerk

She shook her head "I'm sorry sir, I've been here the whole time. No one has turned anything in."

He sighed and pulled out his badge. "I need to see your security manager."

Twenty minutes later Tony and Catherine were ushered into the camera room. "Go back to about 7:30 am" he told the guard.

The guard punched in the time code to his computer. An image of the lobby popped ou on the screen. They watched as Catherine entered the lobby and sat down, taking out her cell phone. The man approached, Catherine stood, Tony came then and led her away. Then the man looks back at the couch, picks up something, and walks out.

Catherine looked at the scene before her. "Tony, give me your phone"

Without a word Tony pulled out his Blackberry and handed it to Catherine. She punched in a number and waited nervously. The line clicked as if someone answered.

"Hello?"

"Hello Catherine, not only do I have your phone, I have your daughter. If you think you can treat me like you do and have nothing happen you have another thing coming."

The line clicked dead and Catherine looked at Tony. "He has Lindsey"


	4. Chapter 4

In the half an hour it took them to drive back to the lab, Brass had already gotten an APB and an Amber alert out on the suspect and Lindsey Willows. Tony had gotten the tapes from the hotel and was intent on getting them to Archie for processing. Sara and Greg were on their way to Catherine's house to process and the GPS on Catherine's and Lindsey's cell phones had been activated in hopes of tracking them. Everything was in motion for them to find Lindsey and bring this creep down.

Catherine sat staring out the window at the strip. It was quiet, not the normal hustle and bustle of the tourists, it was too early. She watched the hotels go by but she wasn't really seeing them. She kept thinking of her little girl, and what that bastard might be doing to her.

Tony looked over at Catherine and reached for her hand. Bringing it to his lips he kissed it softly "Don't worry Cat, we will find her. You know this department isn't going to rest until Lindsey is safe at home and that asshole is in prison."

She sighed and looked at him with tear filled eyes and she spoke in a voice that broke his heart "what if he has already hurt her?"

"Then I will personally put a bullet in his head" he said dead serious.

Catherine took a breath and looked out the window again. Tony pulled into the lab and parked, he looked over at Catherine "Hey beautiful" she looked over at him and he reached over to wipe the tears from her face "She will be fine, I promise you"

The corner of her mouth lifted slightly and she nuzzled his hand. He leaned over and kissed her softly which seemed to give her the strength she needed. She demeanor changed and she wiped at her face, taking a deep breath. She opened the door and strode confidently into the lab. Catherine was in bitch mode now, no one fucked with her family and got away with it. Tony walked just behind her, he knew this is where she took charge, but it was also where he needed to keep his eye on her, he didn't want her overdoing it and having a mental breakdown.

She walked into the layout room where brass and a few others had gathered "what's going on?" She asked shrugging her jacket off her shoulders

"We are checking your old cases now, looking to anyone who had a grudge against you" Brass said "you have the video?"

Tony handed a DVD to Archie and he left for the AV room.

"He wasn't anyone I recognized, might be an accomplice, but then again it could have been someone I pissed off and didn't realize it" she sighed running a hand through her hair. "Or someone who has changed their appearance"

That's when it hit her, his beady eyes. "Dean James" she said softly then looked at Brass "Leo Finlay"

Tony looked at her "That Megan's law creep who threatened to blow his brains out on your lawn?"

Catherine looked at him and nodded "His eyes, he looked different, but it was his eyes..." Her hand went to her mouth "God damn I should have known"

Tony wanted to pull her into his arms and comfort her, but he knew he shouldn't, not here.

Brass got on his radio "I have an update for the suspect in the Willows kidnapping, we are looking for Leo Finlay. He may be armed and dangerous. We need to find Lindsey, now."


	5. Chapter 5

My apologies for the short chapter, my Muse has not been too cooperative lately. :(

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Catherine walked into her office and sighed, sitting on the couch. Tony followed her in and closed the door. He sat next to her and pulled her close, smoothing her hair as he held her, trying to comfort her.

"We'll find her Cath, I'll personally go and search that asshole's house and bring Lindsey back safe and sound to you."

She took a breath, trying to hold back her tears. "I don't know Tony," she shifted in his arms so she could look at him. "Something doesn't feel right about this. The guy said he was going to blow his brains out on my front lawn, not kidnap my daughter." She sighed deeply, dropping her head to her chest.

"So do you think that there is something more to this? An accomplice?"

"I don't know, but-"

The phone in Catherine's office cut her off. She wiped at her eyes and reluctantly left Tony's arms picking up the phone "Willows"

"Hey babe" the sleazy voice of Adam Novack came over the line.

"Adam, really now is not the-"

"Oh now is definitely the time. I have Lindsey"

Catherine's heart stopped "What?" she said almost in a whisper

Tony looked at her with a raised eyebrow and she looked at him helpless.

"I have your daughter."

"Why?" Catherine asked in a shaky voice

"Because you've hurt too many people Catherine, it's time for you to feel some pain" with that the line went dead.

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Leave me some feedback...it might just stimulate my muse :)


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